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Topic Review (Newest First)

01-01-2013 03:32 PM

phatlt23

hate to revive an old thread but i am having the same problem my rear drive wheel smells hot and is hot to touch. i have replaced the caliper two weeks ago and am not sure what to check next i need the car to drive tomorrow so any help would be grateful. thanks in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earls32

03 SVT focus. Took it out for a ride tonight for some fun. Long story short I had to get on the breaks hard. Well after doing that I noticed the most horrible smell in the world. Figured it was the breaks from the hard breaking. So I drove normal ;) another 5 miles to the house but everytime I push the clutch in it feels like something is holding it back almost like the breaks were pressed. Got back to the house and went to check the back breaks and both back wheels were actually so hot it burnt the first layer of skin off my fingers. Now this is both sides on the rear. The smell was coming from the break area and both back rims,calipers, and even lugs were so hot that when water was applied it sizzled. Emergency break was not applied, and front rotors and calipers were normal warm to the touch. Is it possible that both rear calipers went at the same time? Any tips on checking the breaks? So hot you could feel the heat from the inside of the car on the back fender wells. Lol. Actually took 45 mins for the rear wheels to cool off just to touch them. Little help please. Pads were just changed 1000 miles ago with no problems till tonight.

05-30-2012 10:34 PM

Earls32

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac.mogul

The only thought I've had is that you spelled BRAKE wrong 8 times.

Yea I noticed that after the fact darn spell check on my phone. Just didn't want to go back and change everything. Sorry guys.

05-30-2012 09:32 PM

mac.mogul

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earls32

Any other thoughts on this problem?

The only thought I've had is that you spelled BRAKE wrong 8 times.

05-30-2012 09:25 PM

Grumpy

Was the piston fully retracted (wound in clockwise), and was the piston recess/s orientated correctly with the nub/pin of the pad?

05-30-2012 07:36 PM

whynotthinkwhynot

All SVTs have ABS, so be careful when opening bleeder valves. The pressures can be higher than you think. I bet the problem is related to the brakes, but disc brakes will be very hot to the touch after driving- even in normal operation. You can fry an egg on them.

05-30-2012 05:39 PM

elsolo

Had the brake calipers refuse to release completely once when a vacuum brake booster went bad.

Easy enough to tell if it's a mechanical issue like a parking brake, or residual fluid pressure (from any number of causes): just crack the bleeder screw.

05-30-2012 05:35 PM

Getahorse II

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstater

It sounds like a sticking caliper (or two). While not on my Focus, I have had what seemed similar happen to the L/F caliper on my truck. Horrible burning smell, smoke and heat you could feel from 2' away.

Had that happen on my Neon a couple years ago on the front. I found on neons.org that sometimes the flexible rubber part of the brake line collapses. If you find that the cylinder resists being pushed back in, that could be the problem. Replace the hose, you're good to go.

05-30-2012 03:16 PM

Earls32

Thanks guys I will deffently give it a shot

05-30-2012 03:09 PM

Elizabeth

I agree the hand brake has locked on, even though the lever in car is down.
Try this:
Pull up on the interior handbrake lever hard. Then BACK UP hard, hit the brake pedal AND lower the hand brake lever same time. BACKING UP is the keyword here.
The parts may just be 'friction stuck' in the handbrake stuff. and doing this might release the stuck part.

05-30-2012 02:41 PM

BC_ZX3

Inspect the hand brake cable over its entire length and the individual little spring loaded lever arms on the rear calipers themselves. You may think the hand brake is off because the interior hand brake lever is down but - with two calipers being affected simultaneously - I would suggest the hand brake cable is bound or seized somewhere or the spring loaded caliper lever arms are somehow wedged on (or at least not retracted fully.)

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